AGS weighing administration options

AuGres — The AuGres-Sims School District Board of Education is looking at some different methods of administration besides a single, permanent superintendent.

“We could have an individual, or we could have a collective agency,” board Secretary Eric Forton said. “We have a few different options.”

Currently Gary Marchel is serving as interim superintendent for the school district, after former Superintendent Anne Doriean retired last fall. Forton said Marchel is willing to serve as interim superintendent for another school year if necessary.

Among these options are hiring someone new, hiring a financial manager for the district and using the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District superintendent, Michael Dewey, as the “official” superintendent, or privatizing the position. Board President Douglas Furtah said the board attended a retreat the weekend of Feb. 25 set up by the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District to go over those options.

Furtah said privatizing the superintendent position would require setting up a limited liability corporation, or LLC, to function as the superintendent.

“Two, three, or four individuals, either retired superintendents or people with the credentials, could form an LLC and sign a contract with the school to do superintendent duties,” Furtah said. “I personally have not seen it at work, but it was explained to us as an option during the retreat.”

He added hiring an LLC would have financial perks for the district, such as eliminating retirement funding and other benefits.

The board had set a special meeting for Feb. 29 to weigh options and select people to interview for the superintendent position, Forton said, but it was canceled due to inclement weather. Furtah anticipated rescheduling the meeting for March 8, but said that date has not been set in stone.

Someone from the community has expressed interest in the position, Furtah added, and the board plans to look at that candidate as an option at the rescheduled meeting.

“If we find someone to take over next year I would be okay with that, if it’s a good fit,” Forton said. “We want to see what’s best for the district for the next 10 years.”

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